The invention relates to a method for configuring a multimedia message for presentation to a non-local destination, said method comprising the steps of:
presenting a formatted choice menu for various multimedia categories in parallel, PA1 upon one or more user selections in series, offering to each such user selection a monomedium item space for enabling the user to enter an item pertaining to the associated monomedium into said space, PA1 and after termination of all selections formatting the message for transfer. The technology of composing of multimedia messages has been under discussion for some time. Various monomedia distinguish from each other in that either the transfer channels, or the rendering channels, or both, are distinguished in from each other. The distinction may be audio versus video or mixed. The distinction may reside in widely different bitrates. The embodiment hereinafter considers four such distinct monomedia:
text in the form of characters, that each have an individual character identity, and collectively may be formed according to some letter type or font; here the rendering is visual, and the code is ASCII or the like PA2 human or similar speech, or other sound, that is represented as coded sound; the rendering is audio, and the representation may be various, varying from LPC (linear predictive code) to CD-quality PA2 photographs or other images represented by a coded picture; various compaction standards have been defined PA2 movie represented by a sequence of coded pictures, that may or may not be accompanied by sound; this sound may be coded in another manner than the earlier one.
In principle, the number of the above channels may be chosen greater or smaller, either on the system or on the message level. Smaller, in that one or more of the above may be considered irrelevant or too expensive. Greater, in that additional channels may be considered. A further feasible channel is for example formed by handwriting or by a hand-drawn Figure, that is represented by a string of vectors. In an interactive context, various other categories could be thought of.
Now, the inventors have recognized that the inexperienced user should be guided by a right amount of cues and indications for making the composing of a message a transparent art: the invention is not directed to professional data processing technologists. In particular, such user should readily grasp how far the composing of a particular multimedia message has proceeded without necessitating the replay of the full composition. Note that the latter may offer a problem, when the message contains static, as well as dynamic items: such replay could require several minutes.